Bradshaw won his first of four Super Bowls with the Steelers when he was 26, and the excitement/debate has already begun. With two Super Bowl titles, Ben is now halfway to Bradshaw.

Do they compare?

"He is far more accurate than I was," Bradshaw said, "but I was faster. And I was big, but never this big. I played my first Super Bowl at 208 pounds. Ben's about 260."

Hard to believe Terry would exaggerate -- 240 is more like it. But both men have been known for being hard to bring down. While Bradshaw was more elusive, Ben has been the Plymouth Rock, just standing there when being assaulted on all sides.

"He's so athletic, so strong mentally and physically," Bradshaw said. "At that age, I couldn't even warm him up."

Another slight exaggeration.

Bradshaw threw for 27,989 yards, winning 107 games for the Steelers between 1970 and 1983. None of the Steelers quarterbacks who followed him came close to his combination of skills -- not Bubby Brister nor Mark Malone nor Tommy Maddox nor Neil O'Donnell. Even Kordell Stewart, whose rushing ability equaled his arm, combined for only 15,889 yards, second in Steelers history.

Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at age 23. Back then, he admitted, he was, "along for the ride." The ride was a bus, and everybody piled on to get Jerome Bettis a ring before he retired. Roethlisberger was particularly disappointing, with a 22.6 passer rating -- the lowest in history for the winning quarterback.

This time, Big Ben was in charge.

"He's insanely competitive," defensive end Brett Keiser said. "Never, never bet against him." Teammates say he won't even hold the door open for them if it means they'll beat him to somewhere he's going.

It was evident in the fourth quarter. Bradshaw, the Hall of Fame standard by which all Steelers quarterbacks are measured, never had to bring his team back the length of the field with a world championship on the line. Big Ben was ready.

Roethlisberger's 6-yard symphony to Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds left to rally Pittsburgh to a 27-23 victory against Arizona finished an equally breathtaking eight-play drive from the Steelers 22, in which Roethlisberger completed five of seven passes and scrambled for 4 yards.

He told his team it was "now or never," and though the dramatic pass to Holmes had a fancy name, Roethlisberger said it was basically, "drop back, scramble right, scramble left, then find someone open."

He said this drive, this victory, was deeply satisfying, and that the touchdown will "probably be remembered for decades to come."

Roethlisberger's passion and determination, like Bradshaw's, fit the franchise and its people.

"We're both tough, both hard-headed," Bradshaw said. "Pittsburgh loves that."
Bradshaw had the support of two Hall of Fame receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. It is unlikely that either of Roethlisberger's targets, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes (glorified as he is right now), is headed to Canton.

"We both know that our defense is the cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers," Bradshaw said. "Always has been."

Bradshaw's teams sent four defensive players to the Hall of Fame -- Mt. Rushmore names like Greene, Ham, Blount and Lambert. It remains to be seen if Troy Polamalu or James Harrison will be so decorated.

Neither player should be defined by his statistics. Bradshaw went to only three Pro Bowls in his glorious career. Ben has been to one. Instead, both will be remembered for their punishing plays and the punishment they endured.

"Ben has much more poise than I had at that age," Bradshaw said, "but there's one place we're exactly the same: we're both leaders."

Feb. 3, 2009
By Lesley Visser
CBS Sports
Ben is very mature for his age and how fast he had to step up to play in this league. Granted he didn't have as rough a road as far as coach-player relationships as Bradshaw did, at least Ben never got benched because of his play. Good words coming from Bradshaw.....:helmet:

BlitzburghRockCity

02-10-2009, 12:39 PM

Bradshaw is still the household name in Pittsburgh when you think of great Steeler QB's but Ben is quickly gaining ground on him and by the end of his career there's no telling what records he'll have repeatedly broken. Terry is forever a Steeler icon and Ben is well on his way to being the same if he's not already.

Dean Denton

02-10-2009, 12:47 PM

I can only really think of one game were Ben should have been benched and that was in Oakland a couple years ago. I do agree they are both great leaders, but I think that I like Ben's innate gift as a nutural passer much better then Terry's. They both are great at add libbing on that field, and Terry was the man at making big plays in the 4th quarter of all 4 SB wins, but over all I think I like Bens future to shine brighter when you talk about who is or was a better QB. I cant say that Ben will for sure win 4 SB, but I have a strong feeling he will and maybe more. When Ben is on the field I feel that we have a chance to win every game. I have never felt that way about any QB we have had.

And for the record....Hines Ward will be in the HOF.....

Stairwayto7

02-10-2009, 12:55 PM

Bradshaw ---------------------------------------- Ben, why was there so much time inbetween great QB`s????????????????????

Awesome read

ejsteeler

02-10-2009, 01:11 PM

Good read. If Ben had Terry's arm strength, we would have had quite a few more TD's this season. I can remember several times him trying to thow deep and it coming up short. But all in all, I'll take Ben over any QB out there right now.

vtwin_gary

02-10-2009, 01:18 PM

great read.

Dean Denton

02-10-2009, 01:37 PM

Good read. If Ben had Terry's arm strength, we would have had quite a few more TD's this season. I can remember several times him trying to thow deep and it coming up short. But all in all, I'll take Ben over any QB out there right now.
I think they came up short because of a limp noodle shoulder all year. He looked much better last year, and I think will be better next year. but we will see.

tuggysteel822

02-10-2009, 01:59 PM

Great read...I'm not one for comparing players between two different generations, but the only way you can compare is how they both lead and lead greatly. Bradshaw was the best (and i'll say still the best) QB in Steelers history, but right now, Ben is the best money quarterback out there in the NFL. He may not get the gaudy stats that Peyton or Brady get, but that's a career making drive on the nation's biggest sports stage. I don't think personally i'll be able to ever put Ben above Bradshaw, but I think they'll be on equal ground if Ben keeps this pace up. They are both excellent QB's with a lot of the same strengths and some different. Frankly, I could care less about how I match them up...this is fun to watch right now, and a great time to be a Steeler fan. I think we're blessed to have this team and all should appreciate the ownership and management structures that allow this to happen.

Go Steelers and thank you Mr. Rooney!

:cope:

BlacknGold Bleeder

02-10-2009, 02:03 PM

If ya really think about it ,they are cut from same mold. Just the difference in eras as far as athletes sizes. Both would extend plays one way or another ,neither have great accuracy, but they know how to win!!

Silverback 92

02-10-2009, 04:32 PM

pretty cool read TB is a icon

AR Steeler

02-11-2009, 03:58 PM

Great read. Iam still a huge Bradshaw fan i bought 3 jerseys for us winning the super bowl!

greennick

02-11-2009, 06:10 PM

And for the record....Hines Ward will be in the HOF.....

He'll probably need to do a few more things before he retires to make it. He probably wouldn't get in yet on his career to date. A few more clutch plays in another SB should get him over the line. :yellowthumb:

TEEMONT

02-11-2009, 06:13 PM

Bradshaw had the support of two Hall of Fame receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. It is unlikely that either of Roethlisberger's targets, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes (glorified as he is right now), is headed to Canton.

If Hines doesn't make it in, then you can take out Irvin....right now.

--- Added 2/11/2009 at 04:13 PM ---

He'll probably need to do a few more things before he retires to make it. He probably wouldn't get in yet on his career to date. A few more clutch plays in another SB should get him over the line. :yellowthumb:

The fact that he is a SB MVP, and has career numbers comparable or better than Micheal Irvins, should get him in if he retired today.

Dean Denton

02-11-2009, 06:15 PM

If Hines doesn't make it in, then you can take out Irvin....right now.

--- Added 2/11/2009 at 04:13 PM ---

The fact that he is a SB MVP, and has career numbers comparable or better than Micheal Irvins, should get him in if he retired today.Irvin should get removed because he only has 1 testical. I agree with you on hines. I posted that already.

SteelerSteve

02-11-2009, 09:04 PM

First off. Ben's arm is one of the better combinations of arm strength and accuracy out there. I cant think of too many decent QB's that have a considerably stronger arm than Ben. Cutler has probably one of the strongest arms I have seen recently. Peyton has a decent arm, Brady's arm isn't really that impressive(even though madden gives him the strongest arm in the game lol.) Palmer's arm strength hasn't been the same since his knee got screwed up. Ben's was a little shaky for a few games, but he looked good in the playoffs and SB. As for Hines, I think him being a superbowl mvp and the Steelers all-time leading reciever would be enough to put him in canton. And I think that if Ben retired right now that he may not be a guarantee for Canton, but he would definitley have to be considered. Even without another SB appearance(knock on wood that wont happen) I think that as long as he has a solid finish to his career then he's a lock.